ANNEALING NEWS

Tube Annealing Furnace for Stainless Steel and Special Alloys Manufacturer

/ ANNEALING NEWS, ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, ENERGY HEAT TREAT NEWS

Alleima, a manufacturer of steel components and special alloys, will receive a new tube annealing furnace. The electric atmospheric furnace line is intended for bright annealing of high-alloy tubes and will be used in the production of nuclear applications components.

SECO/WARWICK is providing the furnace as their 5,000th device.

The tube annealing system
Source: SECO/WARWICK
Piotr Skarbiński
Vice President of Aluminum and CAB Products Segment
SECO/WARWICK
Magnus Mellberg
Production Unit Manager
Alleima
Source: LinkedIn

“Our partnership with SECO/WARWICK has lasted for many years. We are delighted that we could celebrate it in a special way, as our impressively large tube annealing line (over 140 meters long – 460 ft) happens to be the 5,000th SECO/WARWICK device. We feel that together we are creating not only a remarkable history, but also the future as this solution will help us spread our wings,” said Magnus Mellberg, production unit manager at Alleima.

“The furnace was created specifically for this partner’s needs. It will allow them to increase production capacity…This is important as the demand for high-alloy components in this market has increased. It is an unusual construction, verified through analysis and simulations, and implemented in reality. It offers very good technological results after the annealing process,” explained Piotr Skarbiński, vice president of the Aluminum and CAB Business Segments at the SECO/WARWICK Group.

Press release is available in its original form here.

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38 Heat Treating Furnaces for Aerospace

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, ALUMINUM PROCESSING NEWS, ANNEALING NEWS, QUENCHING NEWS

A U.S. Air Force contract has been awarded for 38 advanced aerospace heat treating furnaces. The furnaces will enhance mission-critical aircraft maintenance capabilities at bases across the United States and overseas.

Phillips Corporation Federal Division and DELTA H® Technologies will provide the furnaces. Of the 38 are 13 Model DCAHT®-181248-1200/500-MIL units and 25 Defender Series Model DEF-DC-RH-242436/1200-CH-242436/1200 units. Deliveries are scheduled over the next year to provide the USAF with heat treating capacity for aviation-grade metals to meet AMS2750H compliance and NAVAIR TO 1-1A-9 standards.

“Phillips Federal is honored to support the U.S. Air Force through this partnership,” said Kelley Padham, president of Phillips Corporation, Federal Division. “Our collaboration with DELTA H Technologies continues to expand the boundaries of advanced manufacturing for the Department of Defense — empowering readiness, resilience, and rapid innovation wherever our warfighters serve.”

Service member team working with new Delta H furnace
Source: Delta H Technologies

Richard Conway, director and CTO of DELTA H Technologies and a U.S. Air Force veteran, added: “Ten years ago, the Air Force asked us to help solve a problem. As an engineer and veteran, it became a personal mission to provide the best heat treating solutions possible. Today, knowing the USAF relies on DELTA H and Phillips Federal for this critical technology is deeply humbling.”

The DCAHT® Model has dual convection-heated chambers with certified TUS work volume at 18” W × 12” H × 48” L. The lower chamber operates to 1200°F for aluminum solution heat treating with a roll-away quench tank, and an upper chamber which operates up to 500°F for aluminum aging.

The Defender Series Model has dual TUS-certified work volumes at 24” W × 24” H × 36” L. The convection chamber operates between 200°F–1200°F with rapid cooling from 1000°F to <200°F in under 30 minutes, enabling complete solution heat treating, annealing, and aging (T6). The radiant chamber operates between 1000°F–2000°F, with inert gas atmosphere capability.

Press release is available in its original form here.

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Furnace for Aerospace In-House Heat Treatment

/ AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT NEWS, ANNEALING NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

Consolidated Precision Products (CPP) commissioned a vacuum furnace for in-house heat treatment of jet engine blades from single crystals. CPP is an aviation parts manufacturer headquartered in Cleveland, OH, that specializes in highly precise, geometrically complex aviation industry systems and components in the United States, Mexico, and Europe.

Dariusz Szawara
Foundry Director of DS/SX
Consolidated Precision Products
Source: Linkedin

“This particular vacuum furnace will be used for the production of a new line of jet engine blades from single crystals. The turbine elements used in the aviation industry operate under high mechanical loads at temperatures close to their melting point and in an aggressive corrosive environment. Therefore, we cannot afford structural defects that would affect the quality or durability of our products. The SECO/WARWICK vacuum furnace will provide us with very high-quality processed elements, but it will also increase efficiency,” explained Dariusz Szawara, foundry director of DS/SX at Consolidated Precision Products.

Paweł Okińczyc
Sales Engineer
Vacuum Plant SECO/WARWICK

The furnace has a working space of 900x900x1200 mm, screen insulation, and metal heating elements.

“The round heating chamber allows for the placement of oversized elements. The furnace has been expanded and modified with dedicated options to meet very high requirements: high vacuum, temperature distribution, operation at high temperatures around 1300 degrees, and cleanliness of processes. The device will be used for annealing blades cast from single crystals. Its advantage is the molybdenum heating chamber, which prevents direct heat loss to the wall of the vacuum chamber and ensures very high process cleanliness. The efficiency of the processes carried out is also influenced by the ability to cool in 1.5 bars of Argon,” said Paweł Okińczyc, sales engineer at the Vacuum Plant of SECO/WARWICK.

Press release is available in its original form here.

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Furnace Expansion for Portland Heat Treater

/ ANNEALING NEWS, ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

Stack Metallurgical Services has added a new furnace to their Portland facility. The furnace adds significant capacity for stress relieving, sub-annealing, and high-temperature annealing, under protective atmosphere.

Source: Stack Metallurgical Services

The furnace has a working zone of 48″ W x 96″ L x 36″ H, it can handle up to 12,000 lbs, and is certified for temperatures up to 1650°F.

Jeff McLaughlin, owner of McLaughlin Furnace Group, was on-site to help commission the new equipment. Stack also partnered with Super Systems, Inc for charting, testing, and running simulated loads.

Kimberly Chaussee
General Manager
Stack Metallurgical Group

“We are very happy to partner with McLaughlin Furnaces to add this new equipment to Stack’s Portland facility. We’ve always taken a proactive approach to expanding our capabilities and capacity to stay ahead of our clients’ evolving needs. I want to thank Jeff McLaughlin and his team for designing, building, and commissioning this equipment on schedule — it’s been a seamless collaboration,” shared Kimberly Chaussee, general manager at Stack Metallurgical Group.

Stack plans for other significant short-term and long-term investments in both equipment and facilities. They are anticipating additional major announcements later this year. These ongoing investments reflect their commitment to meeting the needs of their clients.

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Cleveland-Cliffs Commissions Stainless Bright Anneal Line

/ ANNEALING NEWS, ATMOSPHERE AIR FURNACES NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS

Cleveland-Cliffs has announced the commissioning of its new vertical stainless bright anneal line at its Coshocton Works facility in Coshocton, Ohio. This $150 million investment is now completed and will supply premium stainless steel for high-end automotive and critical appliance applications.

Lourenco Goncalves
Chairman, President & CEO
Cleveland-Cliffs

The new annealing line uses a 100% hydrogen atmosphere, replacing the conventional acid-based processing, and includes a hydrogen recovery unit to recycle hydrogen and use a 50/50 mix of new and used hydrogen in the process.

Lourenco Goncalves, chairman, president and CEO of Cliffs said: “By using hydrogen and advanced automation, we’re dramatically improving the quality and productivity of this critical product that our customers rely upon Cleveland-Cliffs for.”

To mark the opening, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Wednesday, July 2 at 11:00 a.m. ET at Cliffs’ Coshocton Works facility. The event was attended by key elected officials along with Cleveland-Cliffs’ executives, employees, and key customers.

Cleveland-Cliffs is a leading North America-based steel producer with focus on value-added sheet products, particularly for the automotive industry. 

Press release is available in its original form here.

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thyssenkrupp Bolsters Electric Mobility Production with Annealing, Isolating Line

/ ANNEALING NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS

A new annealing and isolating line has been supplied to thyssenkrupp Steel for the production of high-grade NGO (non-grain-oriented electrical steel strip). This strip processing line comprises a precise heat treatment in which the structure of the cold-rolled strip is recrystallized during the annealing process, followed by the application of an insulating layer to ensure optimal electrical properties. This is particularly important for the materials used in motors and generators installed in electric vehicles.

The new processing line, supplied by the project partner, SMS Group, has an annual capacity of 200,000 tons and is designed to process electrical steel strip in widths of up is now in operation. SMS technology enables the production of electrical sheet for energy-efficient applications, for example electromobility. The technological core of the line is the combined heat treatment and coating process.

With this line, the modernization of thyssenkrupp‘s Bochum location is nearly complete, allowing the steel producer to better serve its clients in the automotive, energy, and other manufacturing sectors. The new plant will allow the manufacture of up to 0.2 mm thin electrical sheet with particularly homogeneous mechanical and magnetic properties, specially designed to meet the requirements of highly efficient motors used primarily in electric vehicles. The finishing line is scheduled to go on stream in 2026.

“This facility not only represents a huge step forward in our production capacities,” said Dr. Harald Espenhahn from thyssenkrupp Steel Europe, “it enables us to manufacture high-quality NGO steels that allow our customers to meet the changing demands of the market and to develop products with increased energy efficiency.”

3D model of the new annealing and insulating line for the production of non-grain-oriented (NGO) steel at thyssenkrupp Steel Europe’s Bochum site

Main image: The team from thyssenkrupp Steel Europe and SMS Group preparing to start up the pioneering plant technology for the manufacture of high-grade electrical sheet / L to R: Engin Karakurt, Chairman of the Works Council of thyssenkrupp Steel in Bochum; Dr. Harald Espenhahn, Head of Technology and Environmental Management, thyssenkrupp Steel; Andy Rohe, Head of Downstream Operations, thyssenkrupp Steel; Thomas Eiskirch, Mayor of Bochum; Dr. Marie Jaroni, Chief Transformation Officer at thyssenkrupp Steel; Markus Kovac, Head of the Bochum Plant Area, thyssenkrupp Steel

Press releases are available in their original form here and here.

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Steel Parts Manufacturer Expands Annealing Capabilities

/ ANNEALING NEWS, AUTOMOTIVE HEAT TREAT NEWS, TEMPERING NEWS

A North American manufacturer has bolstered its heat treatment capabilities for annealing steel parts after induction hardening. The two-zone belt conveyor furnace shipped to the facility ensures precise temperature control, energy efficiency, and compliance with AIAG specification CQI-9.

“The customer chose to enhance the operating efficiency of the oven with the E-Pack™ Energy Efficiency Package. Depending on utility rates, operating temperature, and weekly usage, customers may achieve significant annual energy savings with this upgrade,” said Tom Trueman, senior application engineer for Wisconsin Oven Corporation.

Tom Trueman
Senior Applications Engineer
Wisconsin Oven Corporation

Wisconsin Oven Corporation designed the conveyor furnace with the capacity to heat 2,400 pounds of steel per hour from 70° to 350°F with a maximum temperature rating of 500°F and the ability to anneal the components after induction hardening. The recirculation system features a top-down airflow design with a 32,000 CFM blower, with each of the two zones utilizing 16,000 CFM. The temperature for both zones is controlled by a Watlow F4T digital recorder/controller, which provides Ethernet communication capabilities and PID temperature control with adaptive tuning. As a factor in its CQI-9 compliance, a temperature uniformity survey was conducted, documenting uniformity of ±10°F at 350°F with verified part soak.

To maximize energy efficiency, the oven has been upgraded with an E-Pack™ Energy Efficiency Package, which includes 2” thicker insulation in the walls, floor, and roof, as well as variable frequency drives on the recirculation blowers.

The press release is available in its original form here.

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Naval Ship Builder Expands 3D Parts Annealing Capabilites

/ ANNEALING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS, SINTERING POWDER METAL NEWS, VACUUM FURNACES NEWS

A major ship builder has acquired a vacuum furnace for the Additive Manufacturing Division at the company’s new Manufacturing Center of Excellence. The single chamber vacuum furnace will be used primarily for annealing powder metal 3D printed parts, with additional capabilities for on-demand tool hardening applications. 

Piotr Zawistowski
Managing Director
SECO/VACUUM
Source: SECO/VACUUM

The 3D printing shop and annealing furnace supplied by SECO/VACUUM will enable rapid fabrication of critical replacement parts faster than traditional manufacturing methods, allowing the manufacturer to get ships out of dock and back underway sooner. The Vector furnace is equipped with a 36 x 36 x 48 inch metal hot-zone, a high-vacuum diffusion pump, and a 6-Bar high-pressure argon and nitrogen gas quench.

“To get their 3D operation up and running quickly, we were able to pull off some clever production schedule juggling in order to accommodate their special request for an accelerated delivery schedule,” said Piotr Zawistowski, managing director of SECO/VACUUM.

This vacuum furnace provides a wide range of additional processes, including hardening, tempering, solution heat treating, brazing and sintering, and low-pressure carburizing. Vector produces clean, uniform, high-quality parts with repeatable accuracy and no oxidation.

The press release is available in its original form here.

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Fringe Friday: Decarbonizing the Bright Annealing Process

/ ANNEALING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

We’re celebrating getting to the “fringe” of the weekend with a Heat Treat Fringe Friday installment: a project that targets reducing the environmental impact of the bright annealing process. Learn more about this EU-funded initiative that is expected to impact industries using high-hydrogen-content atmospheric gas.

While not exactly heat treat, “Fringe Friday” deals with interesting developments in one of our key markets: aerospace, automotive, medical, energy, or general manufacturing.

Energy efficiency, specifically reducing the environmental impact of the bright annealing process in seamless stainless steel and nickel alloy tube production, is the goal of a new European Union-funded initiative. The recently launched LIFE H2Reuse Project seeks solutions for hydrogen recovery and reuse.

The project, coordinated by DMV (Cogne Group, formerly Mannesman Stainless Tubes) in partnership with Tenova, is expected to impact industries using high-hydrogen-content atmospheric gas, which could apply the project’s results to reduce their carbon footprint, optimize resource use, and lower operating costs.

In the bright annealing process, 100% hydrogen is used in high-temperature furnaces to produce high-performance tubes with superior surface quality, corrosion resistance, and durability. Currently, hydrogen is flared after each production cycle, leading to significant waste. The LIFE H2Reuse project aims to address this issue by developing two innovative technical solutions: recovering the wasted hydrogen from the annealing process and reusing it as fuel in radiant tubes working 100% of hydrogen. This approach represents a market-first innovation, as the recovery of atmospheric gas for reuse in industrial processes is not yet commercially available.

While hydrogen burners are already on the market, they remain in a developmental phase. The initiative will focus on enhancing their efficiency and effectiveness in real-world industrial environments. The project’s expected outcomes include significant reductions in carbon footprint, energy consumption, and resource waste, all of which will be rigorously tested to demonstrate their technical, environmental, and socio-economic benefits.

The press release is available in its original form here.

Main image: Technologies used by Tenova in the bright annealing process

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Sanbao Group Boosts Heat Treatment Capabilities with 3 Annealing and Coating Lines

/ ANNEALING NEWS, MANUFACTURING HEAT TREAT NEWS

Steelmaker Sanbao Group has expanded its heat treatment operations with three annealing and coating lines for non-grain oriented (NGO) silicon steel. The equipment enhancement is part of the company’s entry into the field of silicon steel production.

Sanbao contracted with Tenova LOI Thermprocess, an industrial furnace supplier, for the heat treatment furnaces intended for processing metals. Two electric arc furnaces (EAF) previously supplied by Tenova Group have been installed and put into operation.

A signing ceremony was held at the headquarters of Sanbao Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., in Zhangzhou, China, as part of the company’s “Cold rolled Silicon Steel and Metal Products Deep Processing Project”, a new greenfield project for electrical steel that aims to obtain the highest surface quality and best magnetic properties in NGO electrical steel for Southeast China.

Sascha Bothen
Senior Vice President of Sales
Tenova LOI Thermprocess
Source: LinkedIn

“Tenova and Sanbao have already collaborated successfully establishing Tenova’s Consteel® technology and the successful references of Tenova LOI Thermprocess in the heat treatment of electrical steel and great efforts in the research & development in this sector fully convinced us to this investment,” stated Wang Guangwen, chairman of Sanbao Group.

“It was a great honor for us to participate in the signing ceremony of the Sanbao Group in Zhangzhou, which emphasizes their trust in our technology,” stated Sascha Bothen, senior vice president sales, Tenova LOI Thermprocess. “We are proud to further strengthen the cooperation and work together to help propel forward the green energy transition in the steel industry.”

Included in the featured image: Wang Guangwen, chairman of Sanbao Group; Dong Guibo, vice general manager of Sanbao Group; Sascha Bothen, senior vice president of sales, Tenova LOI Thermprocess; and Wolfgang Eggert, general sales manager, Tenova LOI Thermprocess.

The press release is available in its original form here.

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